A final employment tribunal hearing involving Rockstar Games has begun in Glasgow, bringing a long-running dispute over dismissed GTA 6 workers into court just weeks before the game's scheduled launch.

STV reports that former staff and supporters rallied outside the Glasgow Tribunal Centre on September 10 as proceedings opened. The case concerns 31 workers dismissed in October 2025, some of whom worked on Grand Theft Auto VI.

The timing makes the story impossible for GTA fans to ignore. GTA 6 is still scheduled for November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The tribunal is about employment claims, not a new release-date announcement.

What the workers allege

The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain says the dismissals were unlawful. Its case alleges that workers were targeted because of union activity, blacklisted, and denied basic procedural safeguards such as a disciplinary process or a right of appeal.

IWGB says the hearing is expected to run from September 10 to October 16. The union says the workers are seeking reinstatement or, failing that, compensation, along with a finding that the dismissals were unfair.

That is the union's case, not a tribunal finding. The hearing is where evidence and competing accounts are tested.

Rockstar denies the claims

Rockstar's position, reported by STV, is that the employees were dismissed for gross misconduct after confidential company information was shared. The company denies that the dismissals were because of trade union membership or activity and says it will defend the claims.

That competing explanation is why this story should be handled carefully. The tribunal has not ruled on the final facts. What is confirmed today is that the hearing has opened, the workers' allegations are being heard, and Rockstar is contesting them.

A previous Game Developer report noted that blacklisting allegations were allowed to proceed to the final trial after Rockstar sought to narrow the case. That procedural ruling did not decide the outcome, but it explains why the current hearing is broader than a simple unfair-dismissal claim.

What it means for GTA 6 launch coverage

The case lands in an awkward window for Rockstar. Public attention is moving toward launch, pre-orders and hands-on details, while the tribunal asks questions about the workers who helped build the game.

It does not establish a GTA 6 delay. It also does not prove that the launch schedule is unaffected. Those are separate questions, and Rockstar has not changed the November 19 date in connection with the hearing.

The cleanest reading is that this is now part of the wider GTA 6 launch story. Fans will keep watching trailers, previews and store listings. The industry will also be watching Glasgow for what the tribunal says about union activity, discipline and worker rights at one of gaming's most powerful studios.

GTA6State will update coverage if the tribunal produces a decision or if Rockstar, Take-Two or the union release new material that changes the verified picture.